TEHRAN – Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province is pursuing a UNESCO registration of its nomadic migration tradition and is prepared to support efforts aimed at securing the ancient practice, a provincial heritage official said.

Heydar Sadeqi, director-general of the Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, made the announcement on Saturday evening during a local tourism event. 

According to Sadeqi, the provincial heritage department is following up on plans to register the migration tradition of the province’s nomadic communities on UNESCO’s cultural heritage lists.

Iran is preparing a dossier related to the ancient routes and pathways used by Bakhtiari nomads, and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari is ready to contribute to the process, the official said.

He added that cultural and tourism festivals should generate economic activity and employment opportunities to achieve lasting results for local communities.

Sadeqi proposed that travel agencies and licensed tour guides organize tourism tours to nomadic regions of the province during the upcoming summer season. He said such initiatives could help introduce visitors to the traditions and lifestyle of the region’s nomadic communities.

The official also announced that the Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts would cooperate in organizing the third Nomadic Migration Festival, scheduled to be hosted in the Laran district of Shahrekord county.

Bakhtiari nomads maintain a lifestyle centered on seasonal migration and adaptation to changing climatic conditions and natural environments. Their annual movement between summer and winter pastures has shaped the social, economic and cultural identity of the community for generations.

Cultural heritage experts consider the Bakhtiari migration system one of the oldest continuously practiced cultural traditions in the region. The routes, customs and knowledge associated with seasonal migration have been passed down through generations and continue to play a role in the daily lives of many nomadic families.

Iran is home to a diverse population comprising numerous ethnic groups living across different geographical regions. Nomadic communities represent an important part of this cultural diversity and have long contributed to the country’s social and economic life.
AM